


Playing with Fire

by hightechzombie



Category: GoldenEye (1995), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Rough Sex, reimagination of the sauna scene, you know which one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 17:00:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8454514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hightechzombie/pseuds/hightechzombie
Summary: There were women who’d invite you to dance inside a burning house and make the offer sound sweeter than death. Then there were men like Bond, who had entered burning houses for less and came out alive.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Commissioned by a most kind, patient and generous soul. No idea why this person still put up with me after an endless trail of broken deadlines, but I am very grateful nonetheless.

People describe water as the gentlest element and, indeed, it is not as punishing as fire's bite. But even as water yields, it seeks to devour you. Bond recalled the churning water in which he dived in the middle of a storm. The so-called gentle element  _ fought _ to drown him and Bond fought to stay afloat.

It was just a passing memory. If there was any moral to it, it was that looks can be more than deceiving.

Bond reached the end of the swimming pool. He used the pool wall to give himself a boost and cut through the water for another round. His muscles weren't sore yet, but they would be in another twenty minutes. Bond did not mind aching muscles - in fact he found the pain comforting - but there was a mission ahead of him, a trap waiting to be sprung. No need to overexert oneself.

If he were younger, he may have agonized over whether he was the one setting the trap or the one walking into it. Now with time, he learned it made little difference. 

Changing from front crawl to breast stroke, Bond let himself relax for a few moments. Those who look too much towards the future end up missing the present. For now there was just the pleasant strain on his body, the water holding him up and the cooling touch of air on his wet skin. 

But there was more. Just now, didn't something move at the edge of his sight? Did the soft lapping of the waves Bond caused hide the furtive sound of someone's footsteps?

Bond did not let his alarm show, swimming with the same steady strokes as before. He headed lazily for the pool’s stairs, picked up his towel and dried his face. He was listening intently. There was no sound apart from the hum of the heating system. But he did not need any further confirmation for what he knew to be true.

Bond walked into the changing room and in one swift motion threw the hidden assailant against the bench. Picking up the pistol and training it on his opponent in a single motion, Bond did not have to time to reflect on how little his assailant weighed.

Only when Xenia curled her lips in her foxish smile did all the puzzle pieces come together. Judging from her expression, it might have been Bond splayed before her like a dessert instead of her lying there, wearing nothing but a short bathrobe that looked as if it was gonna slip off at any minute.

“Xenia,” said Bond, only slightly out of breath. “What a surprise to meet you here.”

“I hope it’s a pleasant one…” laughed Xenia, looking from underneath her full eyelashes. When she shifted her weight, as if she was about to sit up, Bond swung his weapon to follow her movements.

“Oh Bond,” sighed Xenia with mild exasperation and disappointment. “You really don’t need the gun… not for what I have in mind...”

The suggestion in Xenia’s voice was impossible to ignore. Bond’s mouth corner twitched, but he made no motion to lower his gun. 

“That depends on your definition of safe sex,” he replied.

It was an obvious trap, he knew, but the idea had certain appeal. Xenia was a dangerous woman, but she was also known to take unnecessary risks for the sheer thrill of it. Would she really make love to a man whom she knew to be an enemy agent, especially since the agent likely knew that Xenia was an agent herself?

From the point of rationality, Xenia could not possibly suicidal enough to risk intimacy with someone like him. But not as if Bond hadn't done things just as risky with even less to gain...

Then again, men will go to any lengths to believe that a beautiful woman finds them attractive. Bond tried his best to not count himself among them.

Xenia whipped a hair strand back and looked at Bond. It seemed she grew bored with the stalemate. In a fluid motion she stood up and headed towards Bond. 

Bond had two seconds to decide whether to shoot Xenia or to lower the gun. The most rational choice would be the former - but Bond could not force himself to kill a woman who appeared to be unarmed. It was not how Bond operated.

Since there was no bullet to stop her, Xenia arrived before Bond with a small victorious smile and pulled him into a kiss. 

One would expect a woman like her to smell like something sweet and poisonous, but no. Her natural fragrance rose from heated skin and Bond found it more pleasant than any perfume. With her soft mouth on his, Bond momentarily forgot where he was. The only important thing was to keep kissing the woman who blessed him with her touch.

Then, of course, life brought Bond back to earth. A sharp pain pierced his lip as Xenia’s teeth sunk into the flesh. She wouldn’t be the first woman to bite him, but this wasn’t a loving nibble and she wasn’t releasing his lip. Bond had to forcefully grab Xenia and shove her away in attempt to save his lip.

Xenia tumbled against the wall, but didn’t look chagrined. When she looked up to Bond, her shoulders were trembling with what Bond realized was laughter. Bond never got the chance to reproach her as Xenia tackled him in the next second. 

They fell to the ground. Xenia might not be the heaviest nor strongest fighter Bond had ever met, but she was well-trained and fast as lightning. His gun spun out of his reach as they clashed on the floor, Bond barely managing to keep Xenia’s cold fingers out of his face and away from his trachea. But as they wrestled for control, Xenia managed to wrap her legs around Bond’s waist.

The move was alarming, but Bond considered her hands the more immediate danger. Only when her thighs  _ squeezed _ did Bond realize his mistake. Her beautiful toned legs clamped on him with strength Bond wouldn’t have thought possible. The air left his lungs with a sharp gasp. A memory flashed through his mind - the general stuffed in a closet. His body showed no obvious signs of violence, no marks around his neck that would signal strangulation.

It seems Bond was experiencing live how Xenia usually eliminated her marks. As fascinating as the process was, Bond had no interest in sticking around for the end result. Trying to get Xenia to loosen her grip on him was a futile attempt, as her muscles were hard as steel. As the edges of his vision began to grow dark, Bond fumbled for something on the floor he could use as a weapon. The only object within reach was the end of a towel.

It would have to do. Bond grabbed it and swung it around Xenia’s neck. In the next split second, he grabbed the other end of the towel and sharply pulled. Xenia did not have time to react. He pulled her close, close enough for Bond to deliver a strong blow to her forehead. In the next moment, Bond wrapped his fingers around her throat and pivoted his body so that she was now pressed against the ground underneath him.

With Xenia dazed and disoriented, the pressure against Bond’s ribs grew weaker. Though panting heavily and still lightheaded, Bond now felt more evenly matched for Xenia. 

What came next was a duel of stamina and perseverance. Just as Bond’s fingers clenched around her throat prevented Xenia from breathing, so did her thighs around his waist deprive Bond of oxygen. Xenia looked everything but beaten, her eyes burning with fire.

Bond’s ribs made an audible crack and Bond tightened his grip around Xenia’s throat. It didn’t matter that he was close to blacking out - he wouldn’t allow Xenia to get the upper hand on him. 

Eventually, Xenia’s eyes started to lose focus and her legs slackened. Taking a deep breath to cool his burning lungs, Bond did not immediately release Xenia’s throat. There was a good chance she was merely faking to be unconscious - although her half-closed lids and lolling head were rather convincing. 

Bond cautiously released her throat to immediately grab her wrists and pin her down. Xenia didn’t react. If she was pretending, then it seemed she wasn’t dropping her act so easily. With one free hand, Bond checked her pulse. It was steady, although a little weak. Maybe she truly was unconscious.

Xenia looked so much different now. When her mouth wasn’t twisted in a snarl, she looked remarkably innocent. The softness of her body only supported that impression. But this wasn’t the time to let down his guard - Bond stood and spun Xenia around so that her wrists were now trapped behind her back. 

Holding her wrists with one hand, Bond looked behind him and grabbed the discarded towel with the other. It wasn’t the perfect tool to bind her arms, but it was better than nothing.

When Bond turned his attention back towards Xenia, a sharp kick to his leg drove him off balance. She twisted out of his grasp to drop two hard punches into his liver. Bond doubled over at the pain, unable to do anything for the moment but hold himself steady against the bench and prepare for the next attack.

It didn’t come. Xenia had chosen to lunge after the pistol instead. Bond swallowed a curse and darted after her. Lying on the floor, Xenia twisted around and took aim. Bond jumped as she fired. 

Only after landing did Bond realize that she hadn’t hit. There was no time for relief, though, as Xenia was fighting like a panther and disarming her was first priority. Another shot sounded and pieces of the ceiling crumbled down on top of them. Even as Xenia kneed him in the ribs, Bond managed to hit the gun out of her hand, sending it sliding out of reach.

With the gun out of the way, Bond was free to focus on the more persistent threat. Bond tried choking Xenia again. She dodged his hand and sunk her teeth deep into his arm. Bond hissed. 

Next Xenia repeated the maneuver Bond did on her - she headbutted him. It was a surprisingly strong blow. Bond shook his head to recover, and saw Xenia again going after the gun, which had been thrown off to the edge of the pool area. Considering the head start, she was going to get the gun first. Running after her this time would be foolish - the tiles beyond the changing room were slippery and there was no room for hiding.

Bond retreated to the waiting room and looked around for what he could use. Staying in the changing room to be shot like a sitting duck wasn’t in his interest, but venturing out without preparation was just as foolish. He took the suitcase and carefully approached the exit of the room.

“Is that all you have, Bond? I need to say, I had expected more… stamina from a man like you.”

Bond smirked. One could only hope that Q had not installed anything wholly unexpected into the suitcase. Bond turned around the corner and threw the object against Xenia.

Two bangs sounded. Xenia had instinctively shot first and thus wasted time she should have spent on dodging. The suitcase strafed her shoulder before going right into the pool. All the while, Bond was running towards Xenia.

He should have been focusing on her hands, but instead he only saw her lips. Xenia wasn’t smiling anymore, her lips were pressed together in concentration. She looked as beautiful as ever.

The third shot sounded and a hot pain brushed Bond’s ear. In the next moment, Bond collided with Xenia. 

They fell. Xenia did not drop the gun, but Bond managed to grab her by the wrist and bashed her hand against the floor to make Xenia lose her grip. In the moment as he succeeded in that, Xenia went for his eyes. Bond managed to jerk away his head in time, but Xenia’s claws left a bleeding gash above his brow. 

As Bond tried to grab the gun, Xenia kicked it away and threw herself with a growl at him. Bond knew she’d try to suffocate him again if she managed to wrap her thighs around him. In a last ditch effort, Bond threw Xenia with all he got away from him - into the direction of the pool.

A splash sounded and in the next split second Bond took the gun and got on a knee, aiming in Xenia’s direction.

When Xenia resurfaced, fury flashed her face. She looked like she was going to climb out and murder Bond with bare hands, but the gun eventually gave her pause. Rapidly, her facial expression changed from fury to icy indifference. Xenia lazily pushed herself away from the border of the pool, obviously thinking that her chances to dodge a bullet were better in water rather when coming straight at Bond.

“Is this is, Bond? I thought we would get a chance to have more fun together…”

“As breathtaking as you are, Xenia,” Bond still felt his ribs ache, “I think we need a break from each other. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

Xenia furrowed her brow, as if confused what Bond could mean by that. 

“Why don’t you come in, Bond? The water is quite nice… as is the company.”

“A gracious invitation. It’s only a shame that I don’t have a habit of swimming with sharks.”

“Sharks?” Xenia laughed out. “I don’t see any. Why don’t you come in and check just in case?”

Just as Xenia spoke those last words, she undid her bathrobe and slipped out of it. Now all she was wearing was a mischievous smile. The white bathrobe bobbed on the surface and floated away like a dream of innocence, while Xenia’s naked grace captured Bond’s attention. 

The shroud of water only allowed for tantalizing glimpses - the soft curve of her hips, long beautiful legs and the cusp of her breasts.  Xenia threw Bond a smirking glance, before again turning to playing in the water. Right now, she looked oblivious to anything around her, but it was just an act. Xenia was either having fun at Bond’s expense or buying time. Or both.

Bond frowned when something cold hit his face. Xenia was splashing water at him.

“Bond, how long you gonna keep me waiting? This is hardly how a gentleman behaves…”

Bond did not as much pay attention to Xenia’s words as much as to her eyes - they flickered to the right side of Bond.

Sharply turning around, Bond caught sight of the assailant and immediately shot at him. The man flinched at the bullet hitting his shoulder and then charged Bond as the second bullet flew past him. 

The wounded man was clearly unskilled in martial arts. Regardless, Bond didn't relax for even a moment. They were fighting on slippery floor and eachl had a gun in their hands. The assailant may have not trusted his aim with his strong arm wounded, but nobody would miss a shot from point blank range.

The man tried to wrestle the gun from Bond, while Bond tried to do the same. In a sudden motion, Bond tugged at his hands to bring him forward and then sunk his knee into the opponent's stomach. As his own hands were released, Bond aimed the pistol at the back of the man’s head and shot him.

The body landed on the floor with a thump. Taking a deep breath, Bond lowered the gun.

Next thing Bond felt, was losing the ground under his feet. Someone tugged strongly at his ankle and before Bond knew it, he was falling. His first thought was to avoid releasing the gun at all costs, then he felt water engulfing his body. He didn’t match to catch his fall and hit his chin on the edge of the pool. 

If not for the disorientation and pain, Bond could have tried climbing out of the pool, but his moment of weakness was used by Xenia. She pulled him back by the hair - which felt oddly insulting - and punched him in the liver with the edge of her hand. Bond twisted around and tried shooting at her but the water made his movements sluggish. 

Xenia sunk her nails into Bond’s strong arm, making the shot miss her. Faces intimately close to each other, Bond saw in close up the sharp smile on her lips. His quip about swimming with sharks had far more truth in it than he at first gauged. 

They fought for control of the gun. Only strong kicks prevented Bond from drowning, as Xenia hung onto his right arm - and clinginess was a trait Bond never liked much in women.

Bond threw himself backwards, pulling Xenia with him. Now he was fully submerged in the water and slowly descending to the floor. He managed to kick Xenia in stomach and make her momentarily release him. His aim unhindered, Bond whipped out the gun and shot. 

He saw with perfect clarity the bullet breeze a few centimetres past Xenia’s head and then the shark was upon him. Sharp pain pierced his hand and Bond involuntarily hissed. The air left his lungs and rose as bubbles to the surface, while he lost grip on the gun which was now slowly sinking to the ground. 

For a few desperate moments, Bond considered his options. Wrestling Xenia at the ground of the swimming pool for the gun sounded like a worse idea than leaving it where it was - especially considering that there was no air left in his lungs. Therefore Bond dashed upwards and faintly saw a shape near him do the same. 

After gasping for breath, Bond tried to face Xenia and get some distance between them. She was breathing as heavily as he was, strands of hair clinging to her face. For a few moments, nothing happened, as they both tried to soothe the fire in their lungs.

Then Xenia flashed Bond a smile and dove under with the quickness of a dolphin. Bond cursed and followed her. She was quick and without clothing there was little Bond could grab her by. Almost through luck, Bond managed to get a hold of her short hair. 

Caught in an unfavorable position, there was little Xenia could do to prevent Bond from dragging her with him. Once they broke the water’s surface, Xenia hissed and went for Bond’s eyes. Bond flinched back and captured one of her arms to immobilize her. Fighting someone as agile and slippery as Xenia in water was turning out to be Bond’s worst nightmare - despite however pleasant Bond usually found the presence of naked beautiful women in close quarters.

Trading hard blows was close to impossible in water, therefore Xenia resorted to trying to drown him. Whatever advantage Bond’s weight and strength might have given him on the ground, it dissolved into nothing here. Luckily, Xenia did not notice Bond’s gradual attempt to maneuver them both closer to the edge of the pool. 

Taken by surprise, Xenia didn’t offer much of resistance as Bond pinned her to the pool wall. Their bodies were pressed close against each other and the softness of Xenia’s breasts was an unwelcome, but pleasant distraction.

“Bond,” said Xenia and sighed. “Do you ever learn..?”

As soon as Xenia spoke, Bond felt her legs wrap themselves around his waist and squeeze. Pain pierced his ribs. Baring his teeth, Bond grabbed Xenia by the throat and strengthened his grip to be uncomfortable, but not yet choke.

“This game again, Xenia? Don’t remember how it ended last?” said Bond through his teeth.

Xenia smiled.

“Remind me.”

“I held you at gunpoint, Xenia, and wanted to talk. Why don’t we start from there again?”

Xenia held his gaze unimpressed for a few moments. Only when Bond brushed with her thumb against the cheek did she crack a little smile. Bond felt the pressure on his ribs fade and he took a deep pained breath.

“You amuse me, Bond,” said Xenia almost softly. “I like that.”

Bond took stock of his body - a bloodied lip, cracked ribs, the ear throbbing with pain as well as countless bruises. If that was the price to amuse a young lady, Bond wasn’t sure for how much longer he could entertain her.

These thoughts lingered, but were eventually driven away by the sensation of Xenia’s body against his and how soft her eyes looked. Bond knew, she’d kill him in the blink of an eye, but since she was willing to play nice for now… then so was he.

“So, Bond… What did you want to talk about?”

That smile again… There were women who’d invite you to dance inside a burning house and make the offer sound sweeter than death. Then there were men like Bond, who had entered burning houses for less and came out alive.

Bond leaned forward. Xenia’s lips met him halfway, kissing with the same fervour as before - only difference she didn’t bite him this time. Instead she just licked his bloodied lip, staring Bond right in the eye. Bond smirked at her, knowing fully well why she was doing it. The soft curve of her lips did little to hide the sharp teeth lurking behind them..

He kissed her anyway. Xenia sunk her fingers into his hair and made soft noises. Next moment, she began grinding her hips against Bond’s. Bond sharply inhaled. He already knew that Xenia was naked and that was nothing protecting her modesty - but he had not noticed his own rising erection before Xenia brought it to his attention.

Without breaking off the kiss, Bond let his left hand wander down Xenia’s body down to arch of her hip. She had the most beautiful body, one that had to be savoured. There were shivers on her skin and Bond pressed her against him. Now they were grinding against each other, both increasingly out of breath.

Eventually Xenia tore herself away from Bond. Her gaze was burning through Bond like napalm. Bond did not need words to understand her - he began tugging at his underwear, while Xenia impatiently helped him to get out of it. 

Now they were equally exposed. Bond had suddenly the image of a gun and knife lying next to each other in a bed.

Xenia did not seem happy about Bond smirking at some joke he only understood, or maybe she was growing impatient. She dragged her nails across Bond’s neck and his back, drawing blood. Bond did not give her the satisfaction of hissing out loud, he just smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her neck.

Then Bond held up her left thigh, feeling the muscles shift in her powerful legs. Licking the vein in Xenia’s neck, Bond positioned himself at the opening and waited for a few more heartbeats before entering. 

He did not as much hear as feel Xenia’s gasp tremble in her throat. This sound combined with the tightness that surrounded his cock made Bond’s mouth run dry. It took self-control to not start rock his hips against hers at a frantic pace. His experience told him it was better to go slowly at first - but knowing Xenia, she’d flay him alive if he kept up this pace. She did not look the patient type.

Still, Bond decided to thrust slowly a few times - mostly to show that he could control himself and to gently deride Xenia. When her nails sunk into his back even deeper, Bond pushed his hips forward and inserted himself as deep as possible. Xenia sharply inhaled. A wide smile appeared on her face - she knew Bond was playing a game just as she was. 

Thrusting hard against Xenia, Bond couldn’t help but stare at her face. He looked for hints how a smile could be so beautiful and cruel at the same time. How a person could be so addicted to adrenaline that it bordered on madness. Most of all, though, he looked for the slightest hint whether this could last.

Xenia was breathing fast, her cheeks flushed with red. She met Bond’s gaze and weakly smiled. In this moment, Bond silenced the hope that Xenia could remain at his side. Even this smile was not born of fondness but amusement. No one could tame this woman and nothing in the world would persuade her to see you as an equal instead of a toy.

Somehow, Bond loved Xenia for this. Their bodies rocked in one rhythm, Xenia was whispering something in Russian and Bond kissed her skin, wishing this would never end. But if it had to end - then Bond would memorize every moment of their lovemaking. If Bond could, he would have made this last hours instead of minutes. But at this frantic pace he would inevitably come rather sooner than later.

Therefore Bond embraced it. He caught Xenia’s lips and kissed as well as he knew to, caressed her body and gently bit her shoulders - which made her for some reason laugh. As for Xenia, she left her marks all over his body. If a doctor had to examine Bond tomorrow, he could find a detailed map of how their lovemaking went - where she bit him, where she scratched lines into his body and where she squeezed hard enough to bruise.

Usually, Bond did not care for rough sex. But this time it only made the occasion seem even more special - he was her conquest, and she was his. 

When Xenia’s breath grew more shallow and her hips moved at a greedy pace, Bond knew she was close to an orgasm. He carried her through it, fucking harder and faster than before. She threw her head back and loudly moaned, as her thighs clenched around Bond. The shudder through her body marked her release.

Bond was getting close as well. His mind was clouded with pleasure and Xenia’s flesh burned him. Set aflame with water enclosing them - how unwise. Bond could see from Xenia’s face that she’d devour him, choke the air out of him - just as the gentlest element of all, water, would.

His orgasm came in electrifying waves over him. A hoarse moan escaped his throat as pleasure blinded him to the outside world.

When it was over, Bond grew aware of his surroundings again. The sound of water splashing against the pool and Xenia’s breathing resurfaced in his mind. It was an idyllic couple of seconds, before Xenia pressed her thumb into his eye and began choking the air out of his lungs.

Not surprised at all, Bond growled and grabbed Xenia’s hand to pull it away from his face. She was struggling against him, but Bond was stronger after all and in this very moment, quite furious. Next, he grabbed her hair and smashed her head against the pool wall.

For a moment, Bond worried if the blow had been too strong. There was blood streaming from Xenia’s temple and her body had gone slack. He gripped her arm to keep her above the water, tried to feel whether she was still breathing. It was hard to tell.

Carefully, Bond climbed out of the pool while trying to keep hold of Xenia. Next he pulled her up and checked the pulse. Alive and unconscious. In another ten minutes, she’d probably be awake and furious. 

Bond took the gun from the dead man lying a few feet away. By now, Bond was damn sick of surprises and wouldn’t put it past another assassin trying a shot at his life. It was a little harder to pick up Xenia with a gun in hand, but Bond managed.

With Xenia in his arms, Bond tried to reconcile his feelings of tenderness compared to the murderous intent he felt minutes ago. Or the passion she invoked within him in the pool. M would call him a fool for wasting time on sorting out his feelings during a mission, and she would be right to do so.

Maybe Bond loved Xenia. Maybe he’ll kill her. Maybe she’ll kill him instead. But there was a growing certainty that if she ever invited him to dance inside a burning house again - he’d accept. And if he died, he’d die with a smile on his charred lips.  
  



End file.
